This invention relates to a method and a device for treating living tissues and/or cells by means of pulsating electromagnetic fields.
It is known to use pulsating electromagnetic fields for inducing alternating electrical signals in the tissue or cells, such signals having proved particularly effective in promoting healing both in the case of delayed union fractures and pseudarthroses, and in the case of associated cutaneous lesions of traumatic or vascular origin. In this respect, delayed union fractures are considered to be those bone fractures characterized by low presence of bone callus and lack of rearrangement of the fragments at least six months after the trauma, whereas it is more proper to speak of pseudarthroses when a clear morbid state with pathological evolution of the callus formation process is present at least ten months after the trauma. Currently known apparatus able to effect the aforesaid treatment can be essentially divided into two types. In the first type of apparatus, low impedance solenoids are used for generating the magnetic field. Such solenoids enable intense electric currents to be induced in the tissues, but only for very short times (less than 300 microseconds), because of which it is necessary to use so-called "pulse trains" in order to obtain a sufficient effect on the tissue. The second known type of apparatus comprises an iron core inside the solenoids, this enabling a magnetic field of considerable intensity to be used, and correspondingly allowing less intense currents to be induced, but for considerably longer times. Neither of the aforesaid apparatus has ever promoted the union of a pseudarthrosis by the formation of periosteal callus, and moreover they cannot be applied in the case of so-called "fresh" fractures, i.e. fractures which have just occurred.